Love, Laila (ON HOLD)

06| Returns

The grip on my necklace tightened as I felt my heart starting to speed its pace. No..it can't be. It just can't. This is way too awesome to believe.

His 17 year old self differs so much similar than he was 7. He is attractive, but I wish I found him as beautiful in my circumstances. He's Zayn after all..it still sounds surreal to me. His jaw was clean, no signs of hair and he kept the cut above his right eyebrow, just like when we were kids. His eyes were a deep shade of blue, deeper than the oceans overall. He was wearing a black button up shirt and some casual jeans.

After I snapped out of it, I looked at Zayn and noticed he was analyzing me as well. Why wasn't I shifting uncomfortably? Why wasn't I looking down at the floor boards? What has gotten into me? I snapped out my thoughts once again when my phone made a ping noise in my phone. I looked the screen and saw a message from Liam.

Liam: tried to tell you this morning but your phones apparently more important than my ass :p

I shoot him a playful glare from across the table and he just waves at me, like he didn't just do anything.

"Well, Laila," mother clears her throat and walks towards me to wrap her arms around my shoulders, but I just walk a few steps away from her, "Greet him, you aren't going to stand here all day."

I didn't need to be asked twice, I just ran towards him and he stepped out the table to welcome me into his embrace. I willingly accepted and hugged him as tight as ever. My hands were on the back of his shoulders as his were crossed across my shoulder blade. He smelled like jasmine mixed with caramel, and I think I just sniffed some alcohol. I wonder if he drank it on the regular?

However, Zayn seems to never let go of our hug. We don't talk, we just enjoy each other's presence and embrace. We finally let go and after a moment of just looking all shockingly at each other, I decide to break the ice, "Zayn, oh my god, you've grown."

He doesn't bother acknowledge my stupidity, because I think he feels the same way. No scratch that, I know he feels the same way, "Lily..it's been a while," his looks down at my necklace and smiles, "you still remember me after all?"

"No, I'm just used to hugging strangers," I joke sarcastically and still can't get over him being here. Here, "we have like a decade to catch up on."

I turn around and take a look at Zayn's family. His parents, Katlina and Andrew Firewoods were such awesome examples for parent figures. They love him since he was little, and no doubt they raised him to be the man he is in front of me. He wasn't the only kid, he had his older sister, Joana, whom I think Liam has a crush on. She is 20, and had chocolate brown hair and emerald green eyes. She was the true symbol and the meaning of gorgeous. I noticed he had a new member in the family and he was an extremely adorable boy.

I crouch down to his level and say, "Hey buddy," I put my hand for him to slap and smile at him, "What's your name?" He had the same green eyes Joana has and his hair was a dark shade of brown. Katlina crouched down beside me and gave me a warming hug mumbling a series of words into my shirt. Katlina has always been like a mother to me, a real one, and she would always help me in need, "Aiden," She says, "His name is Aiden."

___________________________

When dinner was over, I waved at everyone goodbye and practically dragged Zayn into the nearest cafe, I ordered some drinks and finally sat down with him, ready to talk from dusk till dawn.

"What happened after I left Italy?" I asked him, and was still continuing the process of believe Zayn Firewoods was here. Sitting in front of me. I kept tapping on the table to try to keep my cool but no. It was Zayn.

"We stayed for another year until dad decided there were better work choices in America," he paused for second and continued, "We've been in South Carolina since Aiden was born. And the years before him we were in Texas."

I raise an eyebrow at him, "and you didn't acknowledge my existence for a whole decade, Z?" I say and a take a deep breathe, "I contacted you from your fathers email every day!"

"Lily, we had a bumpy road these past years, and you probably understand that." He takes a look at my necklace for the millionth time today, "That doesn't change the fact you didn't forget someone like me," he teases.

"Still as prideful as ever, Firecock," I tease back, feeling happy in a very long time, "What kind of major are you going for in college next year? And why all of a sudden come to the North Coast of Carolina?"

"I'm majoring in Arts, Panting in fact, and South Carolina wasn't serving me well, but it did for dad. He's going to stay there for a couple of months. My girlfriend and I came here together, but she's busy with packing, but maybe tomorrow you guys could meet. She'd  absolutely love to meet you, Lily," he talks with a huge grin on his face, showing all of his feelings towards art and his girlfriend in one emotion. I'm a bit taken back by the fact Zayn actually has a girlfriend.

"Girlfriend? You're finally having a chance?" I mean Zayn is attractive, he'd sure have one, but I've always taken a picture of Zayn being that normal guy who the main character falls in love with in movies. No problems with him at all, just perfect. I'm not saying that he's not, god he is more than perfect. He just wouldn't possibly fall in love with a depressed freak. But he still doesn't know that.

"Its a really funny story actually, we bumped head first into each other and it was like love at first sight."

We started talking, laughing and catching up with our adventures and other topics until both of us were out of breathe, and had to say our goodbyes to meet tomorrow. And for the first time in a long time, I..was smiling.